With the premiere of One Piece, Netflix has officially broken its spate of poorly-received live-action adaptations. Meanwhile, one of One Piece‘s executive producers gave his view of Daredevil: Born Again, and it might give fans of Netflix’s iteration some hope. Bodies, Netflix’s latest comic book adaptation, has also received a release date, while the streamer has also greenlit its latest true crime documentary.
One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda was incredibly involved with the Netflix series
While on the promotional tour for One Piece, director Emma Sullivan praised mangaka Eiichiro Oda for his participation in the production of the live-action adaptation. Claiming “everything went through Oda,”Sullivan revealed that the One Piece creator’s opinion was incredibly important to the crew working on the show; if Oda had had the slightest issue with a scene, the crew would reshoot it according to his specifications.
Editor Tess Verfuss echoed Sullivan and also added that Oda’s unique perspective shaped the show. That might explain why the series’ production design is incredibly faithful to the manga, and why the cast embodies their characters so well.
…Which might explain One Piece‘s great reviews
Yes, it looks like One Piece has managed to shirk the “live-action anime adaptation” curse. After assuring fans that the show wouldn’t be like Netflix’s other anime adaptations (looking at you, Cowboy Bebop), One Piece has debuted to strong reviews, which praise the series’ “fun” and “exuberant” atmosphere. Particular praise has also been directed at star Iñaki Godoy’s wide-eyed, excitable performance as Monkey D. Luffy.
We Got This Covered’s own review notes that the adaptation is perfect for those who are already fans of the franchise but expresses doubt that a casual audience will be as enthralled. We’ll simply have to wait and see how the show performs in the ratings that Netflix claims it doesn’t have access to — we might be looking at one of Netflix’s new flagships.
Daredevil: Born Again receives a cautious update — with an asterisk
One Piece director and executive producer Marc Jobst has a long history with the Marvel brand. While picketing, the director stated that, while he was not personally involved with the production of the project, nor was he aware of any insider information, he “can’t imagine” that Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Jon Bernthal would be attracted to an inoffensive project without the grit that made the Netflix series so special.
Jobst stated he’s certain that Disney somehow persuaded the cast that, “This is a journey worth coming on.” Bernthal has indicated he wouldn’t return for something as simple as a paycheck, so fans of Netflix’s Daredevil can have some hope that Daredevil: Born Again will honor the original series.
Netflix sets a date for its latest DC adaptation
Meanwhile, Netflix has also set a date for its latest DC adaptation — or, more accurately, an adaptation of a comic from DC’s Vertigo imprint. Bodies is set to receive a release on October 19. The series is an adaptation of the comic of the same name, written by Si Spencer, with art by Phil Winslade, Tula Lotay, Meghan Hetrick, and Dean Ormston. Set across four different time periods (1890, 1940, 2014, and 2050), the miniseries covers four different murders, all of which occur in London across the ages. Shira Haas and Stephen Graham make up some of the ensemble cast.
Netflix announces its latest true crime documentary about the Gilgo Beach Murders
A decades-old investigation is set to receive a documentary from Netflix. The Gilgo Beach Murders, a true crime that has been gripping the nation, is a case that involves 11 bodies found buried on Gilgo Beach, located in Long Island, New York, between 2010 and 2011. The case made headlines earlier this July when a suspect was finally arrested in connection with the case. Netflix commissioned the three-part documentary from director Liz Garbus. As the investigation is currently ongoing, the documentary will likely reach its own conclusions as the case unfolds in real-time.
The documentary joins a long list of true crime documentaries churned out by Netflix. Some of these projects, including Night Stalker: The Hunt For a Serial Killer, Abducted in Plain Sight, and The Disappearance of Madeleine McCann, have been incredibly successful for the streamer, spurring the creation of more true crime projects.